HPI Supports the D1RC Crew at Silverstone

Thu, 4th June 2009

D1RC at the Japanese Tuning Show / European Drift Championship, 31
May Boy, that was fun! Despite unearthly early starts for us all,
the D1RC Drift Display Squad descended on Silverstoneâ€™s hallowed
paddock for what was to be a super sized successful day of
exhibition drifting in front of our biggest crowd since we began in
2005.

Invited to display by our good friends at â€˜EDC Need for Speedâ€™,
we hit the gates at 6.30 after most of us had already been on the
road for several hours. The JTS organisers couldnâ€™t have been
more helpful and within an hour we had our track laid, fencing in
place, banners up and our new pa system waking the dead! The
weather forecast was a sunny 26C and, for once, they got it right
and we fried right through to around 6pm when the ebbing crowds
allowed us to stop and go! The hours between were filled with great
drift track action where we ran no less than five back to back 16
car finals and, thanks to a very generous HPI Europe, we had great
drift related prizes for all 10 finalists. Best of all though was
the support we received from the crowds that gathered three deep to
watch the action. If any of us dared to venture from the garages to
the crowd fencing we were immediately collared by spectators who
wanted to know about the cars, how much, how hard to drive and,
most importantly of all, where could they buy one! If only a
retailer stand had been in the neighbouring bay they would have
been kept very busy! Drifting has at last come of age in the UK and
this is reflecting in interest in 1/10th electric drift cars too.
Letâ€™s hope the momentum continues. We were even being stopped as
we walked around Silverstone circuit in the breaks by people who
recognised us â€“ instant stars â€“ and being told we were the best
exhibit there! Certainly the crowds around our fenced area backed
this up and they refused to move on until each competition had
completed, despite what may have been happening on the full sized
circuit. When they did move off, a new audience just formed ready
for the next competition! And the competition was of a very high
standard too â€“ with the best RC drifters in the UK present, the
portable track was laid on the sloping tarmac area to provide a
tight circuit that gave long power drifts separated by sharp hair
pin transitions. The prizes were awarded from a hat to the two
finalists of each competition with no one able to win more than one
prize, hence by the last competition 10 of the 16 drivers went home
with a very nice HPI Europe donated prize, shells, wheels, tyres,
sweat shirts, baseball caps - this was a fun event after all!